Blame
by animerival
Summary: As the rest of their friends chase their dreams across the globe, Honda, Otogi, and Jonouchi share a summer in Japan, and that's only the beginning. HondaxOtogi.


**A/N: This is my kickshipping (JonouchixOtogixHonda) entry for the Yugioh fanfiction contest, season 9.75. The focus is admittedly skewed to be on Otogi and Honda; I hope you enjoy my interpretation of this pairing.**

**Note that this story follows manga canon, which I am much more familiar with. The Otogi arc is very different in the anime, so if you've only seen that, just know that the fire during Bandit Keith's scene in the warehouse is actually part of Otogi's story in the manga. Yugi is trapped in the fire in Otogi's family's store, and Otogi makes amends for the cruelty of his father later in the manga by assisting Honda in retrieving Shizuka to cheer on Jonouchi in Battle City.**

**/.../**

The darkness of the room and the silk pillowcase under his head let Honda know he wasn't home. There, he was always awoken by the morning sun shining through an eastern-facing window and his futon was anything but luxurious. He yawned and turned back over, feeling entitled to a longer rest after the late night he'd had. Then he remembered he had plans that day, so he sighed and rolled out of bed.

"Ouch!" he cried out in pain, massaging the underside of his foot. He heard the sheets rustle behind him before a voice asked, "What's wrong, Honda?"

"I stepped on this," Honda complained, tossing a tiny die earring at the person still wrapped up in a blanket.

Otogi caught it with a smile. "Maybe you shouldn't have been in such a rush last night." He sat up, tousled hair falling loose over his shoulders, and looked pointedly at the mess they'd made. Clothes and headband and keys were all strewn about the floor, marring the otherwise spotless room.

"Right, _I _was the desperate one," Honda muttered. Memories of being pushed against the front door and kissed forcefully flooded his mind, and picturing half-lidded emerald eyes made him feel flushed. He quickly turned from the bed before he or Otogi got any more ideas. "Damn, sometimes I wonder how this even began." He fumbled through the pile of clothes for his jeans and t-shirt.

"Do I have to remind you?"

Honda chuckled as he smoothed his hair down. "No, I remember, all right. It was all your fault."

"Do you really want to blame me for a good thing?"

"Jonouchi definitely does."

/.../

The summer after graduation, their group of friends finally fractured. Anzu left for America to dance, Ryou went abroad to college, and Yugi went basically everywhere to duel. Otogi's business gained in prominence, and meetings throughout Japan kept him occupied.

Jonouchi and Honda understandably felt aimless compared to their friends. Jonouchi wanted to travel a path similar to Yugi's, but he couldn't leave Shizuka alone. Honda didn't want to go on to college, but none of the various jobs he tried out felt like something he could do for the rest of his life. When they got a call from Otogi offering them positions for the summer, they gladly accepted. As Otogi's business was becoming more involved in dueling, he requested Jonouchi be a test duelist; Honda was to assist with both maintenance and security.

During a long trip to northern Japan one night, the three friends sat together in a hotel room, swapping stories of both past and present. For awhile they watched televised coverage of Yugi's latest championship win and Jonouchi complained about how much he wished he could be claiming a trophy too.

"Not that this job isn't good," he added to Otogi, "but I want to duel the best."

"When Shizuka goes to college, you can enter international tournaments," Otogi reminded him.

"Yeah. If it's for her, I can wait," he said with a smile.

As usual, Jonouchi was the first to fall asleep. He simply crashed on the bed after removing his shoes. Snores filled the room, making Honda roll his eyes.

"He's the loudest in the room even when he's sleeping." He expected Otogi to laugh or at least agree, but when he looked over, Otogi seemed troubled. When he caught Honda watching him, his typical confident expression slid back into place, but Honda was no longer buying it.

"Hey, Otogi," Honda said, "why did you offer Jonouchi and me these jobs?"

"You're my friends, and you filled necessary positions. Why are you asking now?"

Honda sighed. "I just can never tell. Are you still paying us back? You know, for how you treated Jonouchi, for the fire..."

Otogi looked displeased that Honda was dredging up events from long ago. "I thought I repaid my debts when we went to get Shizuka."

"Hey, I'm not saying you ever owed us anything. But you just seem a little- I don't know, like something's on your mind."

"You're wrong. Everything's fine."

"Right. Well, when you decide to stop lying, I'm here to listen."

"Honda, you wouldn't want to hear."

"Aren't we friends?"

For some reason, Otogi looked pained. "Exactly."

"Wait, what?"

Otogi shook his head and refused to explain. Silence stretched uncomfortably between them as Honda mentally replayed that exchange. _We're friends... right? He doesn't want to be friends? But why-_

_Oh. OH._

_Wait, no, definitely not. Isn't it arrogant to even think that? And anyway, he was charming all the women at the event today._

_...And the men. But that's just how Otogi is, right?_

"It's late. I'll head to my room now." Otogi rose, and Honda shot out a hand to stop him. Otogi pulled away, eyes narrowed in anger and maybe-

"Otogi, are you gay?" he blurted out.

"...I'm going to bed."

Honda blocked the path to the door. "Is that it? And you thought you couldn't tell me? Jeez, Otogi, I- you really don't know?"

"Know what?" Otogi asked suspiciously.

_How is it that the smartest guy in our group of friends is the only one who never noticed my crush on Ryou? Well, to be fair, Otogi wasn't at Duelist Kingdom with us... _"I am. Gay, that is." He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. It wasn't something he had to voice often, but he'd known for years.

Otogi stared at him in shock. "You-" He cursed under his breath, then recomposed himself. "In that case- could I kiss you?"

Honda looked at red lips he'd never imagined kissing. As a rule, he didn't crush on people he thought straight; it made things simpler. But now Otogi had revealed the truth, and it looked like he wasn't going to wait much longer for permission, judging by his slow steps toward Honda.

_Go with it_, encouraged a voice in his head that sounded a little like his impulsive best friend.

They crashed their mouths together with equal fervor. Otogi soon dominated the kiss, his tongue slipping past Honda's lips and his hands tentatively pressing against his back. Honda closed his eyes when Otogi bit his lower lip, the sensation overwhelming.

He started and Otogi stumbled back when a pillow whacked both of their heads. They looked over to see Jonouchi sitting on the edge of the bed, arms crossed. "Take it to Otogi's room," he grumbled. "Some of us are trying to sleep here."

A mischievous glint appeared in Otogi's eyes. He strolled to the bed and smiled down at Jonouchi. "Does that mean I'm not going to discover you're also gay?"

"Only if Mai Kujaku's secretly a man," Honda muttered from across the room. Jonouchi blushed and sent another pillow flying at Honda.

"Come on, Otogi. We aren't wanted here." Honda reached for Otogi's arm, hesitated, then slipped his hand down to Otogi's. Otogi willingly followed Honda back to his own room, where they shared a few more kisses and a night of warmth, wrapped in each other's arms.

/.../

"He's just jealous you spend more time with me than him," Otogi said. "He'll get over it."

"He doesn't have much of a choice. You're insatiable."

"And you're the one who keeps taking night shifts at my shop," Otogi smirked.

"You're the one who keeps making them available!"

"Fine. Let me make it up to you." He patted the empty side of the bed.

Honda gave him a look. "I promised Jonouchi I would hang out with him today."

"He can come over here."

"Something tells me that would be a bad idea. Now put some clothes on. You have an international business to run." Honda threw Otogi's other earring at him. "I'll see you tonight."

"See you, Honda."

Halfway down the staircase, Honda looked back. He retraced his steps to find Otogi laying patiently where he'd left him. "Just a kiss," Honda insisted, leaning over the bed.

"Whatever you say." As hands wrapped around his neck and pulled him down, Honda briefly wondered what excuse he'd use for being late this time.


End file.
